Trustees



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I. P. RAYMOND, 2a. SPRING EEEI; BOOT 0R SHOE AND METAL PLATE 0R LIFTTHEREFOR.

No. 575,534, Patented Jan. 19, 1897.

WITNESSES- a vw (No Model 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d.

SPRING HEEL BOOT OR SHOE AND METAL PLATE .OB. LIFT THEREFOR. No.575,534. Patented Jan.rl9, 1897.

WITNESSES- a? INVENTEIR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREEBORN F. RAYMOND, 2D, OF NEW'TON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES W.BROOKS, OFPETERSHAM 'MASSAOHUSETTS, TRUSTEES.

AND JOHN BROOKS, OF CAMBRIDGE,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,534, dated January19, 1897. Application filed June 15, 1889. Serial No. 314,481. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREEBORN F. RAYMOND, 2d, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Spring-HeelBoots or Shoes and Metal Plates or Lifts Therefor, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, inexplaining its nature.

The invention relates to a spring-heel boot or shoe, and particularly tothe manner of the construction of the heel. Spring-heel boots and shoeshave a heel which is formed generally by interposing between the heelend of the outsole and the edge of the upper and insole one or morewedge-shaped lifts. These lifts are generally made of soft stock. Fromthe peculiar shape of the heel the sole at the heel end is very liableto become much worn before the rest of the sole, while the remainder ofthe boot or shoe remains in fair condition. Moreover, there is no way ofrepairing the heel of a spring-heel boot or shoe that restores it to itsoriginal condition. It is therefore desirable that the heel of suchboots and shoes be protected from undue wear, but without changing itsshape. This I have accomplished by interposing between the inner surfaceof the outsole, at the heel end, and the heel end of the insole and theupper thereon a lift or plate of metal, the edge of which extendssubstantially to the edge of the outsole, about the heel end thereof,and which lift is also of a shape to conform to the shape of the heel.This metal lift or plate preferably is fastened in place by the samefastenin gs which are used in uniting the heel end of the outsole to theother lifts and to the insole.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aview in side elevation of the heel end ofa spring-heel shoe, representing my wearing-plate as applied next theinner surface of the outsole. Fig. 2 is a View of said wearing-plateapplied between two of the wedge-lifts of the heel, and Fig. 3 asapplied between the upper wedge-lift and the insole. Fig. 4 is a view ofone form of the plate. Fig. 5 is a section upon the line x 00 of Fig. 4.Fig. 6 is a section upon the line 3 y of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 represents aslightly different form of the plate. Fig. 8 represents the plate orlift as provided with holes through which the fastenings are driven.Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate the plate as provided with the thinner orweakened section through which the nails may be driven without firstforming holes. Figs. 11, 12, l3, l4, and 15 illustrate modifications towhich reference is hereinafter made. Fig. 16 is a view of a completeshoe, a portion of the heel and upper being removed to illustrate theconstruction.

A represents the upper, a the outsole, and a the spring-heel. (trepresents the lifts interposed between the inner surface of the outsoleand the outer surface of the insole, and a is the metal lift or plate.It is represented in Fig. 1 as applied next the inner surface of theoutsole, in Fig. 2 as between two of the lifts, and in Fig. 3 betweenthe inner lift and the outer surface of the insole. The metal lift orplate is represented in Figs. 4, 5, and

6, and it may have the general shape illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, inwhich latter figures b and b denote the spring-plate, that is, havingthe rounded or curved rear edge Z7, which is the shape it is desired thefinished heel shall have, or at least shall approximate such shape, andthe side extensions Z), or it may be shaped as represented in Fig. 7,that is, having the curved edge I) and the arm b connected by anintegral section of the plate uniting them. The plate is curved fromside edge to side edge and from rear to back to conform to the shape ofthe finished heel, and this may be done in suitable dies before theplate is applied, or if the plate is plain or straight it may be moldedto the proper shape with the heel end of the outsole between a suitablepressure-plate and the last or worksupport. The plate, when made of softcomposition or of thin iron or steel, may have the holes through whichthe fastenings c (which unite the outsole to the insole) extend formedby the awl or awls employed in forming holes in the stock before thefastenings are inserted, or the metal of the plates b Figs. 9 and 10,may be made thin upon the line upon which these fastenings are insertedor driven, as represented in Figs. 9 and 10, or the plate may beprovided with holes or apertures 0 upon the line in which saidfastenings are driven or inserted, in which case the fastenings aredriven or inserted through said holes; or the plate I) (see Figs. 11 and12) may be formed with prongs 0 extending outwardly therefrom, and befirst fastened to the wedge-lifts by prongs a integral with the plate,or by independent fastenings, the said prongs or fastenings being of asufiicieut length to extend through the wedge-lifts and to enter theinsole and be clenched upon the inner surface thereof, if desired. \Vhenthis form of construction is employed, the plate is preferably firstsecured or fastened to the lifts and the lifts and plate fastened to theinsole and the out-sole then spanked on to the outwardly-extendiugprongs, the prongs bein g of a length to extend entirely through theoutsole to the outer surface thereof, if desired, but preferably not sodoing. \Vhere a plate provided with holes or perforations is used, theholes of the outsole, wedge-lifts, and insole in which the fasteningsare to be driven may first be formed, the plate then inserted betweenthe inner surface of the outsole and the insole, and its holes broughtin register with the holes formed in the outsole, and the permanentfastenings then driven through the holes of the outsole and holes of theplate. The plate may have, in addition to the holes for the reception ofthe fastenings, one or more independent prongs, as represented in Fig.13, by which the plate b is either attachable to the wedge-lifts or tothe inner surface of the outsole.

In some instances the holes in the plate may be inclined from the upperedge of the plate inward or the plate may have an inclined wall d,extending from the upper surface thereof downward and inward, the objectof the inclined holes or wall being to direct the fastening-nailsinwardly as they are driven, so that their points shall be guided towardthe insole. This is especially desirable where it is required to placethe heads of the fastening-nails quite closely to the edge of the sole.

If desired, the plate can be made in two parts, as represented in Fig.15, an inner part a and an outer part (i in which case they are attachedbyindependent fastenings to the inner surface of the outsole or to thewedgelifts, or by prongs formed thereon, but they are placed to form achannel or space c, through which the fastenings attaching the outsoleto the insole pass. The advantage of the plate in shoes of this kind isnot confined to the increased durability which it imparts to the shoe,as it also serves to keep the fastening-nails from spreading outwardly,and also acts to support the heel end of the outsole and to act as areinforce in maintaining its shape.

I prefer that the forward ends of the plate be made somewhat drawn in ornarrower than the outsole where it is in line with said ends, in orderthat the outsole may serve to pro tect, cover, or shield said ends orthe outer corners thereof.

\Vhile I have referred to the interposed plate as being of metal, I donot wish to be understood as limiting the invention to plates made ofmetal so long as the substantial advantage which is derived by the useof a metal plate is obtained. I would mention as an equivalent anymaterial harder or possessing greater wearing property than leather, asit is to improve the wear of the boot or shoe that the invention in partis made, and it not only does this in the manner above specified, butwhen inserted between the outsole and the ordinary spring-heel lift itperforms another function which is of considerable value, in that itserves to hold or maintain the shape and firmness of these lifts as wellas the shape of the outsole, and it also permits lifts of an inferiorquality than those now used to be employed, and thus in this respecteffects a saving in the cost of the manufacturing as well as animprovement in the wearing property of the shoe.

It will be understood, of course, that the spring-heel lifts heretoforeused have been of a relatively soft and easily-destructible nature, likecommon sole-leather, and from their shape they are very easily worn downor oil after the back end of the outsole has been worn away, and the useof the plate also keeps the shoe in shape or in form by preventing itfrom sagging at the heel end, and therefore while I have spoken of theplate as a lift, it is, perhaps, not a suitable designation, because itdoes not perform so much the service of a lift as the other purposeswhich I have above mentioned. In this connection I would say that aplate of this character may be interposed between the outsole and theinsole at the toe end of the shoe as well as at the heel end and forsome of the same purposes.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States- 1. As an improved article ofmanufacture, a spring-heel boot or shoe having a continuous outer solefrom the heel end to the toe end of the shoe, the heel end of which isheld from the insole by one or more thicknesses of leather or similarmaterial, and a metallic or similar maintaining-plate inserted betweenthe heel end of the outsole and the said thickness, the outer edge ofwhich is flush or very nearly flush with the outer edge of the sole, andwhich acts to maintain the shape of the heel and distribute the wearupon the sole as indicated.

2. The combination in a spring-heel hoot or shoe of the outsoleextending from the heel end to the toe end of the shoe, and separatedfrom the heel end, one or more thicknesses of leather or suitablematerial a inserted between the heel end of the outsole and the insole,and a thin conformable metallic plate interposed between the innersurface of the outsole and the said leather thickness, the outer edge ofwhich is flush or very nearly flush with the edge of the outsole, all asand for the purposes specified.

3. As an improved article of manufacture a spring-heel sole, the heelend of which provides the outer or wearing section of theheel of theshoe with one or more lifts of the character specified and amaintaining-plate i11- serted between the lift or lifts'and the undersurface of the outsole, and provided with means for temporarily securingthe lift or lifts and outsole together before the sole and lifts arepermanently attached to the insole of the shoe.

4. The combination in a spring-heel shoe of an outsole extending fromthe heel end to the toe end of the shoe and forming a continuouswearing-surface separated from the insole at the heel end, one or moreleather or like lifts inserted between the inner surface of said outsoleand insole at the heel end of the shoe, a metallic maintaining-plateplaced between the inner surface of the outsole and said leather lift orlifts, and fasteners extending through the outsole, maintaining plate,lift or lifts and insole for permanently Securing them together andclamping the maintaining-plate between the outsole and the lifts, as andfor the purposes described.

5. A maintaining-plate of the character specified, having inclinedsections for directing the course of the attaching-nails em ployed insecuring the outsole to the insole.

FREEBORN F. RAYMOND, 2D.

Vitnesses:

J. llLDoLAN, A. B. MERRILL.

